Oregon workers earning minimum wage will see a modest pay increase beginning July 1, following an official announcement by state labor authorities on Friday. The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries confirmed that the minimum wage will rise by 35 cents per hour as part of the state’s annual adjustment process.
The increase will bring the standard minimum wage in most parts of the state from $14.20 to $14.55 per hour. In the Portland metropolitan area, where the cost of living is higher, the minimum wage will climb from $15.45 to $15.80. Meanwhile, in rural counties designated as “nonurban,” the rate will move from $13.20 to $13.55.
Oregon’s current approach to minimum wage increases stems from legislation passed in 2016, which gradually raised wages through scheduled increases until 2023. After those scheduled adjustments, the state transitioned to a system where future wage changes are based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), a federal metric that tracks inflation by measuring the average change in prices paid by urban consumers for goods and services…